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Related Concept Videos

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...

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Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise
06:17

Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise

Published on: January 26, 2024

Parietal cortex and spatial cognition.

Alexander T Sack1

  • 1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. A.Sack@psychology.unimaas.nl

Behavioural Brain Research
|May 26, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The posterior parietal cortex is crucial for spatial cognition. New brain imaging techniques are helping to map its distinct sub-regions and their specific roles in processing spatial information.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • The parietal cortex, particularly the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), is a heterogeneous brain region.
  • A significant body of evidence implicates the PPC in spatial cognition.
  • Understanding the functional architecture of the PPC is essential for comprehending spatial abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of the functional architecture of the posterior parietal cortex.
  • To examine the relationship between PPC subdivisions and spatial cognition abilities.
  • To synthesize evidence from diverse methodologies, including lesion studies, functional brain imaging, and brain interference techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic comparison of evidence from lesion studies, human functional brain imaging, and human functional brain interference studies.
  • Application of advanced multimodal functional imaging and multivariate brain connectivity approaches.
  • Detailed outline of specific methods: combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) & functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), data-driven multivariate fMRI, and effective brain connectivity analyses.

Main Results:

  • Evidence synthesis from historical neuropsychological insights to current state-of-the-art imaging techniques.
  • Demonstration of how combined TMS & fMRI, multivariate fMRI, and connectivity analyses can functionally segregate PPC sub-regions.
  • Identification of distinct contributions of various PPC sub-regions to specific spatial sub-functions.

Conclusions:

  • The posterior parietal cortex plays a pivotal role in spatial cognition.
  • Emerging analytical frameworks in human functional brain imaging allow for the functional fractionation of conventionally modeled units like the PPC.
  • Future research can leverage these advanced methods to delineate distinct subdivisions within the PPC, each with unique functional contributions to spatial processing.